Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown! We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my five absolute favorite matchups. The first week of the year always brings about uncertainty so hopefully these charts can help you make some tough lineup calls. This article is also critical for daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. Good luck to you all this week whether it is for the championship or just some of that daily money! Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| DeAndre Hopkins ARI | Richard Sherman SF | This game should be one of the more fun games on the opening weekend. It is Hopkins first game on his new team, and Sherman and his squad look to get back to the Super Bowl. While I expect the 49ers defense to be very good again, I feel like the lack of game reps might have a guy like Sherman, and the defense in general off a step at first. While Hopkins knows where he is going in his route, the defense has to react to it. While I am not looking at a huge game from Hop, and nor do I consider him a DFS target for the week, six catches for 80 yards is certainly attainable. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Quinton Dunbar SEA | This is another matchup of an elite level receiver with a top 25 cornerback. And like the Hopkins/Sherman matchup, I do expect it to favor the offense a little more this opening week. He might not score a ton of touchdowns, but almost no corner can keep Jones in check for an entire game. With this game also being in Atlanta, that indoor track favors Jones as well. This one should feature a good number of points as well as passes on both sides, and if Julio were to go for 100 yards and a touchdown I don't think you should be surprised. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Denzel Ward CLE | This guy is so freaking hard to figure out, and having it be the first game of a new season doesn't make it easier. It also doesn't help that we had no preseason to try to figure out how his connection with Lamar Jackson looks in Year 2. So, we go with the information we have. We know that Brown doesn't tend to get a high number of targets in a game, we know that he is facing off mostly with one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL, and we know that he served up two duds against the Browns last season. He did have a monster Week 1 in 2019 but that was against Miami and we all know how bad their defense was last year. Brown is a flex play at best for me and a definite DFS fade. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Pierre Desir NYJ | After finding his way out of Minnesota, Diggs will have his first game in his new home in Buffalo. He now has a quarterback with a stronger arm, but he didn't find himself in a place where they throw the ball a ton. He gets a pretty favorable matchup to begin the season with Desir who is also in a new home after being cut by the Colts. He was dealing with injuries a lot last season, and has some talent, but is far from an elite corner. Diggs is an absolute must start in seasonal leagues, but in DFS you will want better options on teams that throw with more volume. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Damon Arnette LV | This guy is one of the more reliable veterans in the league and he just got a nice upgrade at quarterback. No, I'm not saying I am in love with Teddy Bridgewater but did you SEE Kyle Allen last season? Moore gets a rookie with a broken thumb to shadow him most of the afternoon, and while Arnette's style tends to be a little aggressive, he will likely be a little amped up for his first game. Look for the Bridgewater-Moore connection to get off to a solid start of around six catches for 80 yards and likely a score as well. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Desmond Trufant DET | We sure would have felt better if Nick Foles was under center, but Robinson has shown that it really doesn't matter who is throwing him the ball, he will just go get it. Trufant was once one of the better corners in football, but he has just turned 30 and certainly lost a step. He comes to Detroit after being cut from the Falcons, and hopes to anchor a secondary that was just lost last season. Robinson is too good though for a corner who is on the slight decline, and even with Ol' Mr. Crazy Arm at quarterback he is still going to get off to a great start with at least 75 yards and almost definitely a touchdown. |
| A.J. Green CIN | Casey Hayward LAC | It will be 21 months since Green took the football field last in an NFL game on Sunday, and that fact alone should have you a little skeptical about playing him. Put that together with no preseason with a new rookie quarterback, and the fact that he is dealing with a hamstring injury although he is supposed to play. Wrap that all together with the fact that the Chargers have one of the better secondaries in the league, and I am avoiding Green this week. You might be excited to get him in your lineups because he missed so much time, but you do you, I'll be over here with my facts. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Jimmy Smith BAL | As much as I would like to, I am not even going to TOUCH that latest news that came out on Beckham this week. Instead we will focus on the football field. He says he played all last season with a sports hernia, and I suppose we will take him for his word. While his talent is undeniable, he had just six catches for 64 yards combined in the two games against Baltimore last year, and one of those came before the Ravens defense was playing well. I do think that Beckham will have a better season this year, but it doesn't look to get off to a great start against Baltimore. You can start him in seasonal leagues, but you should definitely avoid in all DFS contests. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Jalen Ramsey LAR | This is going to be a fun game to watch, but the fact that Cooper has been so limited in practice is really concerning me already. After hobbling through the majority of last season, I would have really liked to see Cooper start off right. It is compounded by the fact that Ramsey is one of the best corners in the game. While I think there will be some points scored in this one, my confidence in Cooper is down. I would even consider sitting him in seasonal leagues, if you have good depth at wide receiver. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Malcolm Butler TEN | We all remember Malcolm Butler being the hero of the Super Bowl a few years back, but that has been the highlight of his career. He has not quite continued on the path to stardom. He is the top corner on the Titans, but right now that isn't saying a lot. Sutton, on the other hand, is on a trajectory towards the next level. He showed a nice chemistry with Drew Lock at the end of last season, and I expect them both to continue to grow together. Sutton certainly looks to be set to start off 2020 with a bang and isn't a bad mid-range DFS play. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Jaylon Johnson CHI | Matthew Stafford is back, and that is great damn news for Kenny Golladay! He played with absolute garbage quarterbacking in the second half of last season, and still put up solid numbers. With everyone back to start the season,and the fact that they will be playing from behind basically all of the time, means that Golladay should be seeing lots of volume. The Bears secondary is great, but Golladay just has good speed and great jumping ability to get to any ball. He is one of my man crushes for 2020 and is full speed ahead in Week 1 even with a matchup that doesn't look great on paper. |
| Davante Adams GB | Holton Hill MIN | You. Just. Can't. Stop. This. Guy! The Packers have no other real viable receiver, you know the ball is going to Adams and it just doesn't matter. If he is healthy, he is going to produce, and he is healthy right now. He went over 100 yards in both games against the Vikings last season, although he did fail to score a touchdown in either game. He isn't priced crazy on either of the main sites and can easily be fit into your DFS lineups. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Charvarius Ward KC | As usual, this one is going to come down to health. Cooks is dealing with a quad injury and has been limited and has even missed some practice. For a guy who dealt with injuries last season, although it wasn't his quad, this is still concerning. It is his first game on a new team with a new quarterback. I am anticipating a bunch of points in this one, but if Cooks is limited he might not be worth the start. Pay attention to the news and reports leading up to game time to see if he will be on any kind of snap count before putting him in your lineups. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | C.J. Henderson JAX | I am generally not a huge Hilton fan, especially since it seems like he has been getting banged up a little bit more each year as his career progresses. However, I am seeing a lot I like here. First, he has a new quarterback, and despite Rivers' struggles last season he has a great arm and can get Hilton the deep ball. Second, it is the first game of the year and he is healthy. And finally, the Jags secondary pretty much sucks. Henderson is going to attempt to turn that around but he is a rookie in his first game. Hilton should start off his career with a few lessons of how the NFL works and he is an awesome DFS option as both sites have priced him low enough they are begging you to use him. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Xavier Rhodes IND | This is another one of my favorite mid-range wide receivers for 2020. Chark burst on the scene last year, and was fairly consistent most of the season. He certainly showed a chemistry with Gardner Minshew, an ability to get open and the ability to make the contested catch. The Jags will certainly look to throw the ball more now that they are without a reliable running back. Chark is without a doubt the number one receiver on the team and should see a great number of targets. Jacksonville will certainly be playing from behind in this one and if he had 10-12 targets you shouldn't be surprised. He is priced right to fit into some DFS lineups. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Bradley Roby HOU | Countdown to liftoff in 3…..2…...1…...The NFL season kicks off with what should be an explosion of fantasy production with the Chiefs and Texans. Hill is the only reliable wide receiver the Chiefs have as of now, and you know Patrick Mahomes is going to be looking to him early and often. Hill beat the Texans with six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns in 2019, and their secondary hasn't gotten any better going into this season. It is always hard to predict multiple touchdowns for a player in any game, but the stage is set for Hill to have a minimum of 15 fantasy points in this one. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | Yes, you all have fun with his last name, calling him Trees or Forest or whatever dopey nickname is coming up next on Twitter. The actual fact of the matter is he has never had more than six touchdowns in a season, while his teammate Cooper Kupp has four fewer touchdowns (21) in his career than Woods (25), while Woods has played four more years in the league. He still should have a very good first game, and absolutely is worth starting in all seasonal leagues. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | William Jackson III CIN | Allen got paid this past week, and that solidifies him on this roster for several more years. I certainly don't like his quarterback situation at all, but Allen isn't really a deep ball guy anyway. He might struggle to score touchdowns this season with Tyrod Taylor and then eventually a rookie, but the Chargers look to get off to a good start against a Bengals secondary that lost their prized free agent acquisition to injury. Allen is a must-start this week and should be PPR gold in the opening weekend. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Donte Jackson CAR | Surprise, surprise, the Raiders chose the fastest receiver in the draft! And while it hasn't worked out for them in the past (where have you gone Darrius Heyward-Bey?), Ruggs certainly looks like the real deal. Of course, we have had no preseason to see how he has looked, but there have been no bad press coming out of Vegas. The Panthers lost a good corner in James Bradberry to New York, but Jackson is still a quality guy. The rookie out of Alabama could have a really good rookie season and is viable in seasonal leagues, but shouldn't be a DFS target in his debut game. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Stephon Gilmore NE | You don’t see the "fifth-year breakout" too often from an NFL receiver, but that is what we got last season with Parker. The former first round pick always had the size and the speed, but just couldn't put it together. I am not sure what clicked last year, but he looked like a whole different player in the second half. And while he absolutely torched the Patriots on the final game of the season in 2019, you can't expect him to abuse the best corner in the league again. I'm not sure what this mystery injury he was dealing with, but it seems to be resolved. Parker is a viable seasonal league WR3, but not a DFS target. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Jaire Alexander GB | Last season was just a lost one for Thielen as he never was able to get 100% after Week 6. He is fully healthy now, but gone from the other side of the field is Stefon Diggs and he is truly the only proven guy they have. Alexander is a very solid corner, but you have to believe that the Vikings are going to do everything they can to get Thielen the ball. They have become a run-first team, but it won't stop their top receiver from getting his. Look for Thielen to still have double digit targets and finish with seven or eight catches for 80-85 yards and quite possibly a touchdown. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Byron Jones MIA | The release of Mohamed Sanu certainly opens more opportunity for Harry, but nothing we are hearing from Patriots camp should be giving you any confidence that their first round pick of last year is looking good. In my opinion, right now Harry is unplayable in any format of any league. The Dolphins upgraded their secondary with Byron Jones and getting Howard back from injury, and they should keep Harry almost completely locked up for the afternoon. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | What will he do for an encore? Thomas obliterated every secondary he played against and the NFL record book last season on his way to one of the best years for any wide receiver. He comes into 2020 in a game that looks like it will be a shootout against a secondary that is improving, but still has a ways to go. Thomas is always expensive to work into DFS lineups, but he is almost always worth the cost. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Steven Nelson PIT | I love the player, but I don't love the matchup. Slayton showed big play ability in 2019, and he and Daniel Jones were definitely on the same page. I think there are going to be a lot of long touchdowns in store for us this year from these two. However, there likely won't be a lot of big plays against a hard-hitting, tough Steelers secondary. I would still put Slayton in my flex spot in seasonal leagues, but he is a definite fade in any DFS format. |
| Breshad Perriman NYJ | Levi Wallace BUF | The lack of practice has to really hurt his chances of being productive assuming he plays. With this being his first year on a new team, practice was so valuable considering there was no preseason. It certainly doesn't help playing the Bills and their kick ass secondary, and Perriman might have been a guy to consider not using even if he was 100 percent. If he doesn't play that would move Chris Hogan into the lineup and he would be even less adviseable. |
| DeSean Jackson PHI | Kendall Fuller WAS | Oh man, get ready for this one! The Eagles barely have a healthy receiver, and D-Jax gets a game against his former team. This diva loves this kind of narrative and he showed last year before he got hurt that he can still be very explosive. Now, Kendall Fuller is a very solid cornerback, but this really feels like Jackson will get behind him a couple times for some big plays. He is a great cheap option for your DFS lineups and a must-start in seasonal formats. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Isaac Yiadom NYG | It will be interesting to see how targets are distributed with Ben Roethlisberger back between Johnson and James Washington. Johnson is more of the sure handed guy and not the big, explosive play guy. Both could be successful this week though against a Giants secondary that got some overhauling this offseason, but still doesn't look great. Johnson is a bit of a dart throw for you Monday-Thursday DFS folks, and he is definitely worth flex consideration for your seasonal leagues. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Metcalf showed a lot of promise last year, and he certainly is on track to be a star in this league. He showed a great ability to leap and catch a jump ball, and definitely caught Russell Wilson's eye in the red zone. He gets a fantastic matchup to start the season against the subpar Falcons secondary, and is an absolute must start in seasonal leagues. Considering the matchup he is favorably priced in DFS contests as well, making him quite attractive in Week 1. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Patrick Peterson ARI | It does seem like a longshot that he plays, but as of now Deebo has not been ruled out of this game. He proved to be a man among boys at times as he was a great big target for Jimmy G, and then rarely went down at first contact. He certainly doesn't get an easy matchup if he does play, as Peterson might not be the top of the line guy he once was, but he is still formidable. I would say unless you drafted really poorly at wide receiver, I would let Samuel sit this one out even in seasonal leagues and figure he comes back closer to 100 percent in Week 2. |
| Mike Evans TB | Marshon Lattimore NO | Lattimore is one of the better corners in the league, but there are some games where he kind of disappears. I think this is going to be one of those. The Saints and Bucs feature two old man quarterbacks who still know how to sling the ball around the football field. Evans is more of the big play threat than his friend Chris Godwin, and I see him making a few of those on Sunday. I might prefer Godwin in DFS contest, especially cash games, but Evans could be a GPP guy and definitely a start in seasonal leagues. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | A.J. Bouye DEN | Here is another example of loving the talent but not the matchup. Bouye has struggled in the past without having another great corner beside him, but he is still a quality guy. We will see if he is able to be "the man" under a solid defensive coach. I don't know that the Titans are going to score a lot of points in this one, but if they do have a touchdown through the air I am willing to bet it will be to Brown. He isn't a favorite DFS play of mine by any stretch, but he is a great start in seasonal leagues. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Darius Slay PHI | He certainly doesn't have great quarterback play, but that certainly didn't matter last year for McLaurin as he had a great rookie season. If Dwayne Haskins does improve in Year 2, that is just more great news for Scary Terry. He draws a really tough matchup in Week 1 as Slay comes over from Detroit and is probably motivated after getting off that garbage bag of a team. It might not be a high volume reception game for McLaurin, but he should make one or two big plays and come out with a very respectable fantasy day. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Emmanuel Moseley SF | I am far from sold that Christian Kirk is a reliable NFL receiver. In fact, I get a little less confident as the years go by. He has never quite lived up to his billing. Even last year in a great offense he wasn't very good, especially in the two games against the 49ers. Moseley came on strong in the second half of the year and is a fine defender. Unless you really drafted poorly at receiver, I would consider sitting Kirk for this tough Week 1 matchup. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Shaquill Griffin SEA | There is nothing to not like about Ridley. Good size, good speed, good hands, and with Julio Jones getting plenty of attention he often doesn't see the team's best corner. Griffin is no slouch, but he isn't good enough to say stay away from Ridley by a long shot. Ridley might not be a popular DFS target this week, but he is an absolute WR3 in season long leagues. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Greedy Williams CLE | I want to believe that he is going to be better this year, but I also need to see that he gets a lot more volume than he did last season. He only had 22 targets all of last year, and even if he doubles that, 44 isn't a good number. The Browns defense is fairly solid, and I am a long way away from trusting Boykin in any fantasy game this weekend. |
| John Brown BUF | Bless Austin NYJ | Brown was a great fantasy revelation last year as he was the first Bills wide receiver that brought some excitement in a little while. That kind of got flushed down the toilet with the trade for Stefon Diggs, but all is not lost with Brown. There will be fewer targets for sure, but he will also now be away from the defense's number one corner. he is now more of a flex option than a WR2 and has fallen off the DFS map, but he is still a fine player. The Bills pass offense just isn't potent enough to support two high level fantasy relevant receivers each week. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Trayvon Mullen OAK | I would have loved for Robinson to land somewhere with a bigger armed quarterback, but here we are. He also goes to a team with an established number one receiver. None of this is good for his value. However, a date with the Raiders secondary does help. Personally, I want to see how the Panthers offense is going to run and if they are going to throw enough to make anyone besides D.J. Moore and Christian McCaffrey viable. Right now my feelings are they will not. I am avoiding Anderson in all formats this week. |
| Javon Wims CHI | Jeffrey Okudah DET | Wims, Ted Ginn, Riley Ridley, none of them are any good to consider for fantasy purposes. This Bears game is going to be dominated by Allen Robinson, Tarik Cohen, and Anthony Miller, maybe with a little Jimmy Graham sprinkled in. On to the next player…...... |
| John Ross CIN | Desmond King LAC | Ross perpetually deals with injuries, including an arm injury this summer, but he appears to be 100% for this one. I worry that he will be taken over by Auden Tate before long, and I also worry that the team is playing a strong secondary. Unless you are in a league where you can only use Bengals or guys named John, I would steer clear of Ross in this one. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Marcus Peters BAL | Someone has to be the third receiver on this team, but it doesn't mean they will get much work. Higgins has had a couple of decent games in his career, but he is far from fantasy relevant. He also is facing one of the better secondaries in the league, so unless the clock strikes midnight and he is holding a rabbit's foot and a four leaf clover, he isn't going to come up with meaningful fantasy production. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Troy Hill LAR | This is a matchup I am loving. Sure, Hill isn't a terrible corner, but he isn't going to the Pro Bowl any time soon. And with Amari Cooper potentially not 100% for this one, this puts Gallup into prime territory. The Cowboys are certainly going to throw and score points in this one, and I think there is a chance that Gallup has the best game of the three receivers. He is a seasonal must-start and a DFS target for you in Week 1. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | Adoree Jackson TEN | The rookie comes in with a lot of fanfare and gets a great juicy matchup in his NFL debut. With the lack of preseason it makes it really hard to trust a guy in his first game in your DFS lineups, but Jeudy did enough in college, went to a solid landing place, and is matched up with an average at best corner so he belongs in your seasonal league lineups. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Kyle Fuller CHI | Jones is far from a sexy name, but the guy gets the job done and did last year without even decent quarterback play. This is a tough matchup, and I do think Golladay gets his, so I could see a scenario where you keep Jones on the bench this week. He probably has a ceiling of about five or six catches for around 50 yards but could come up short of that. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Cameron Dantzler MIN | Aaron Rodgers tried to give Valdes-Scantling a boost of confidence a couple of weeks ago, but c'mon Aaron, we were watching last year. The guy has good speed and can get behind a defense but he just can't catch. If he was so great or hiss peed was so impressive he would have had more than 56 targets last year. Every once in a while he gets lucky and catches a long one, but you just can't count on this guy. |
| Will Fuller HOU | Tyrann Mathieu KC | I was just in the FA NFL chats and suggesting that you start this guy left and right. The injury to Brandin Cooks even seems to push his value up even farther. And the Chiefs secondary isn't that great, the Texans will be playing from behind. All signs point to this being a great game for Fuller. Whenever I have been too confident in this guy he has thrown up a dud. But I am going to use him in DFS, because it just seems like a no brainer. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Tre Herndon JAX | I am really excited for this rookie, and it is always ncie to start your NFL career against a bad defense. He has been getting first team reps in practice, and all reports have been positive. He gets a solid quarterback with a good arm that can make any throw. It might be a bit of a transition in the first game in the league, but I feel comfortable starting Pittman in seasonal leagues that require three receivers and a flex. |
| Chris Conley JAX | Rock Ya-Sin IND | Conley has some great big play ability, but his consistency leaves a lot to be desired. Conley is the guy who will have a few good games a season to make you think he could be valuable, but most of the time when he has big numbers it is because he broke a big play, not because he is a consistent part of the offense. Rookie Laviska Shenault is coming through the ranks too which is only going to hurt Conley and Dede Westbrook more. Before long, Conley will lose his starting spot to Shenault and won't be featured here any longer. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Lonnie Johnson HOU | This guy has speed on speed on speed and is one of the more exciting young players in the sport. However, I am not sure the opportunity will be there for him to be a consistent fantasy asset. In weeks like this against poor secondaries I could see using him with the chance that he makes a big play, but with no preseason to see how he is meshing with the offense and Patrick Mahomes it seems like a big risk. I can't fault you for putting him in your flex thinking he might have one big catch that makes his fantasy day. The game with the Texans should feature lots of points and there is a chance Hardman has a big one, but the smart play is to see how the offense looks before trusting him with a starting spot. |
| Josh Reynolds LAR | Trevon Diggs DAL | I did a livestream months ago where I said that Reynolds was a possible sleeper coming into the season. With Brandin Cooks out of town, that should put Reynolds as the third receiver for the Rams, which is a fantasy relevant position. However, the reports out of camp have been better for rookie Van Jefferson than they were for Reynolds. Chances are very strong that you didn't draft Reynolds to be in your starting lineup so it won't hurt you at all to leave him on your bench and see how this offense plays out. I still think Reynolds is talented and can have a good season, but it is also possible the Rams have an impressive rookie on their hands. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Darius Phillips CIN | It is looking entirely possible that Williams misses this game, and perhaps more than one. Even if he plays, it appears that he will be on a limited snap count. Of course, a guy like him only needs limited snaps to make a fantasy impact, especially against a secondary like the Bengals. However, even if they do throw him out there you'd be best served to find another option. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Troy Pride CAR | With all of the hype around Henry Ruggs, don't look now but Bryan Edwards could possibly be the guy to own in Vegas. With the injury to Tyrell Williams, Edwards will be starting this weekend, and he has big play ability. He is tall and has good speed. The reports are just amazing coming out of camp and Edwards could be an amazing DFS bargain and of course a seasonal league start against a bad Panthers secondary. |
| Preston Williams MIA | J.C. Jackson NE | Williams was having a great first year before an injury ended his season after just eight games. He is back and fully healthy, and the Dolphins have improved the line around him. He vaults right to a starting role with two of his teammates opting out for the season, and with not a lot of reliable weapons Ryan Fitzpatrick should look his way right away. This is a terrible matchup to start the season, so Williams is a flex play and maybe a guy to bench this week, but he should have a fantastic 2020. |
| Bisi Johnson MIN | Kevin King GB | I think Johnson starting is more a testament to rookie Justin Jefferson not ready to be a part of two receiver sets than Johnson's talent himself. He is a nice receiver, but even with Stefon Diggs out most of last season he did very little to stand out on this team. The Packers still have a couple of decent corners, and it will be hard to think of using Johnson in any fantasy format in Week 1. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | Noah Igbinoghene MIA | The Patriots receiving corps just isn't very good this season, and with them cutting Mohamad Sanu that likely puts Byrd in the other receiving spot. He did have a few good flashes for the Cardinals last season, so I wouldn't say there is no hope for Byrd. However, it is his first year on the team as well as quarterback Cam Newton, and most likely Byrd isn't even on a roster unless your league is super deep. Watch and see how targets are distributed in New England this week, but Julian Edelman is the only receiver you can consider using. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Jamel Dean TB | I have always liked Smith, but he has failed to show any consistency to this point. Drew Brees seems to like him too and even gave him a vote of confidence to the media last week. I would love to see this guy break out but I can't count on it. This game is against a bad secondary and should have lots of points. There is a chance that Tre'Quan hits the box score with a few catches, but there is also a chance he does next to nothing so you can't think of trusting him with a starting spot on Sunday. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Joe Haden PIT | Few guys have been getting as much hype out of their camp as Shepard. The good part with him is we have seen him have success already, so it likely isn't coach speak. Of course, he is playing against the Giants secondary who stinks, so we will see if it translates. He also has concussion issues, but we can't take that into consideration when deciding to start him or not. We can, however, realize that he is starting against a really tough secondary which takes him out of the DFS conversation. Shepard has earned flex consideration for your Week 1 lineups though. |
| Denzel Mims NYJ | Taron Johnson BUF | The rookie lost a lot of practice time to injury, and while he might not start the game, he is the player on the roster that could do something fantasy relevant. Chris Hogan might start the game, but it has been years since he has done anything fantasy relevant. It really doesn't matter who it is because the Bills secondary is solid and the Jets are likely to throw for a ton of yards. Jamison Crowder and Chris Herndon are the only two to consider this weekend. |
| J.J. Arcega-Whiteside PHI | Fabian Moreau WAS | The Eagles are a mess at wide receiver again due to injury, and that forces JJAW into a prime spot for this opening weekend. He didn't see the field very much in 2019, but nearly has no choice but to be in for most snaps on Sunday. Moreau is a pretty decent corner so it won't be easy for Arcega-Whiteside to have an impact. Jalen Reagor is looking like he might just be back for Week 2, so the second year man is going to have to make an impact to keep his starting spot. Arcega-Whiteside can possibly be used in the flex, but that would be a risky proposition for the opening week. |
| James Washington PIT | Logan Ryan NYG | Washington would appear at first to be third in the pecking order for targets in Pittsburgh, and perhaps fourth after James Conner coming out of the backfield. That could be good enough for fantasy relevance in Week 1 against a weak Giants secondary. Washington only needs a few big plays to make it a worthwhile fantasy day, but we also don't know his chemistry with Ben Roethlisberger. Based on your draft you should have three or four receivers that are better served to have better fantasy days than him. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Byron Murphy ARI | The rookie from Arizona State was set to have a great start to the season, and an injury has derailed some of his chances at first. He hasn't been ruled out as of yet, but even if Aiyuk is out there you have to figure that he won't be at 100%. Put that together with the fact that he hasn't had any preseason, nor the regular offseason program and even if he does play you should find a better option. |
| Phillip Dorsett SEA | A.J. Terrell ATL | The former first round pick has never lived up to that draft spot by a long shot, and his five touchdowns last season for the Patriots nearly doubled his career total. He won't get much chance to be a big part of the Seahawks offense, at least not enough to be a consistent factor in the fantasy realm. Dorsett is completely touchdown dependent and he won't get enough of those to even speculate about when he will get one. |
| Scotty Miller TB | P.J. Williams NO | Miller is a decent receiver at best and with so many weapons on the offense that are more talented than him, he won't see enough targets in the vast majority of weeks to warrant any fantasy consideration. He might break a big catch here or there, but he is pretty far off the fantasy radar. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Bryce Callahan DEN | It was another step back for the perpetually disappointing former first round pick as he only had 69 targets a season after having 112. The Titans are a run-first team, and now they found their top receiver with A.J. Brown last season. With Adam Humphries also getting some targets, Davis just won't get enough to be someone you can use. Oh, and he can't catch all that well either. That is a problem when you are an NFL wide receiver. |
| Dontrelle Inman WAS | Avonte Maddox PHI | Four years ago, Inman put together a decent season for the Chargers, but he has just been bouncing around the league ever since and has barely caught on at all. His failing health often getting in his way. He is behind Steven Sims for second on the target tree, and rookie Antonio Gandy-Golden will be pushing him for snaps right away. Even against a compromised Eagles secondary, there is nothing to see here. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 1.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Chris Godwin TB | Janoris Jenkins NO | Jackrabbit can be a very good corner, but he has lost a step since his high level days a few years ago. It also doesn't help that Godwin is just ridiculous and nearly impossible to shut down. As has been stated already I think that there are going to be lots of points in this game, and I think Tom Brady is going to come to love Chris Godwin very quickly. He definitely should have seven to nine catches and I look for over 100 yards and a score. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Xavien Howard MIA | The Patriots just have little else to throw to here besides James White. Reports on N'Keal Harry are not positive, and Damiere Byrd and Jakobi Meyers are unproven receivers. It is no longer Tom Brady under center, but Cam Newton is not a stupid guy. He knows that Edelman is his go-to target and most reliable hands. Edelman's value takes a hit later in the season when he has 13 injuries, but this is Week 1, and he is healthy so even against a tough corner like Howard, Edelman is a no brainer in seasonal leagues. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | James Bradberry NYG | He certainly has a lot of making up to do with his fantasy owners from last year. However, it wasn't all poor Juju's fault. He was banged up all season long, and the quarterback play on the team was down right despicable. He gets his buddy Ben Roethlisberger back under center this week, and these two hit it off great in 2018. James Bradberry is a solid corner the Giants acquired in free agency, but he won't be able to hold Smith-Schuster down all day. I don't see a monster day for him in Week 1, but he is certainly a guy you can count on as your WR2. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Darqueze Dennard ATL | Like Steve Harvey says on Family Feud, "we got a good one for you today" as Lockett is still the Seahawks top receiver and it doesn't matter who is guarding him because Atlanta's secondary isn't any good. Lockett made huge strides in his first season as "the man" in Seattle, and he is certainly helped with the emergence of Metcalf. The defense can't focus on either receiver, and that helps make them both successful. Look for Lockett to get off to a fast start and he is a guy you can put in some of your DFS lineups. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Jourdan Lewis DAL | There is going to be a lot of offense in this one, and when the Rams score a lot of points Kupp generally has a great game. He is a high volume target magnet, and he is one of the best in the league in yards after the catch. He is deceptively fast, and is great at finding holes in defenses. The Cowboys still have a solid secondary despite losing their top man, but they are going to have a hard time containing Kupp. He should come out of the gate quickly and have six or seven catches for close to 100 yards on the afternoon. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Chris Harris LAC | Joe Burrow and the Bengals get a tough way to start with the stout Chargers secondary. However, with A.J. Green banged up, this just means to me that Boyd is going to get peppered with targets until he just can't take it anymore. It might not lead to a huge production game, but if he gets thrown to 12-13 times, he will catch half or maybe a little more, rack up 80 yards or so and if Cincinnati gets one in the endzone through the air, it is going to be to Boyd. |
| Anthony Miller CHI | Justin Coleman DET | Miller was one of my favorite mid-to-later round receivers to pick from. Again, we would have rather Nick Foles, but if you look at Miller's numbers from last year, those are with Trubisky. I know everyone loves to dump on Mitch, but there are worse quarterbacks. Miller gets a nice gift to start the season indoors against the shoddy Lions secondary, and should get off to a real fine start. The second game against the Lions he had nine catches for 140 yards, and while repeating that seems unlikely he is a great seasonal league start and not a bad lower tier option for DFS |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Marlon Humphrey BAL | On paper this looks like a terrible matchup, but if you think about it you can see why he is a seasonal league start. Despite the fact that Odell Beckham gets all of the press, Landry will thrive in a game like this. He is the quick route guy, he is the short pass guy, he is the high volume target guy, and Mayfield can get it to him before the defense can get in his face. Landry did really well against Baltimore last year with a combined 15 catches for 241 yards, although no touchdowns. I wouldn't use him in DFS contests, but he is a must-start in single season leagues. |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | Tre'Davious White BUF | This pick has nothing to do with his monster Week 1 game last year. This is a terrible matchup against a good secondary. However, this goes along the same lines as Edelman. Who the hell else is Darnold going to throw to? Perriman and Mims are banged up and everyone else on the depth chart is horrible. He HAS to throw to Crowder, and even against a good defense if the guy gets thrown to enough he can come up with six or seven catches for 65-70 yards. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | Byron Murphy ARI | This one depends a little bit on the health of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. Although at this point even if either or both of those guys play it will likely be in a limited capacity. Bourne did a lot of maturing in 2019, and he has proven he can put in the work to get better. Jimmy Garoppolo continued to look to him in the red zone, and Bourne could be in for many more snaps if either of the above gentlemen miss the game. He has great hands and like I said a knack for getting open in the end zone. He didn't have a lot of catches against the Cardinals last season, but he did have a touchdown in each of the games. |
Julio Jones vs. Quinton Dunbar . I have often said that Julio Jones is not my favorite target in redraft leagues as he doesn’t always score as many touchdowns as the other elite options. However, when he has a great matchup in DFS I am all over him. The Seattle secondary is better than it was last year (when Jones had his way with them for over 150 yards), but the favor is certainly with Julio. He is borderline unstoppable, and I also love games where he is at home on the fast turf. He also is helped by having such a good receiver on the other side of the field from him, as the defense can’t focus on him as much. There is no doubt in my mind that he is going to go over 100 yards and very well could have a touchdown to go with it for a big fantasy day. Elite
Davante Adams vs. Holton Hill . At some point you’d think with no other really reliable receiver that the defense would be able to slow Adams down, but that hasn’t been the case. The Vikings defense isn’t bad, but it seems that only elite, lock-down corners have a chance against Adams. Minnesota doesn’t have one of those at all, and we are looking at a high-volume output day for Adams. He had 20 catches combined in the two games last season and went over 100 yards both times. Adams should threaten ten catches and the 100 receiving yards is nearly a guarantee.
Affordable
T.Y. Hilton vs. C.J. Henderson
A healthy Hilton with a strong-armed quarterback against a secondary that looks to be completely full of holes is a recipe for big success. Put that together with a mid-range price tag and we have some DFS gold right here. Sure, there is a chance that the Jags first round pick has a good game, but Hilton is a seasoned veteran who surely will make the kid look bad on more than one occasion. Especially with no preseason, that means he has never played in an NFL game, and hasn’t been in a real football situation all year. Philip Rivers definitely has the arm to get the ball down the field to Hilton and he surely will find his way into the end zone, and likely a half dozen catches or more.
DK Metcalf vs Isaiah Oliver . I picked on Oliver a lot last year, and most of the time it was with a good deal of success. The Falcons have tried to address their secondary, but most of it is still a problem. Metcalf showed great strides in his rookie year, but what he showed more than anything that should excite DFS players was his red zone abilities. He also seemed to get better as the year went on. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he finished 2020 with better stats than Tyler Lockett . The Seahawks and Falcons are surely going to be throwing the ball a good deal, and Metcalf will be a big part of it. With his improving skills and red zone trust with Russell Wilson , there is no doubt that a game of at least 75 yards and likely a touchdown is in the cards for him.
Bargain Bin
DeSean Jackson vs. Kendall Fuller . I almost went with Bryan Edwards here, but I just can’t stop thinking about D-Jax this week. The Eagles are basically down to Jackson, an unproven Arcega-Whiteside, and Greg Ward at wide receiver this week. The tight ends will certainly get their share, but Jackson is primed for a big game. He surely wants to prove that he is healthy from last year, and he loves the revenge game narrative against Washington. He showed before he was injured in 2019 that he still has plenty in the tank and is sure to break a couple of big plays. To be honest, I will be shocked if he doesn’t turn in 100 yards and a touchdown.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.